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Food, Savory

Broccoli Sausage Pasta

Seems I’ve been so busy this summer that I’ve let my blog go for far, far too long. I apologize to those who actually read my blog and have been looking for recipes. My greatest apologies, I’ll bake some cookies once I get the chance to make it up for you. Fresh from the oven to you. But until then, I’ll give you a quick update on my summer festivities.

I just spent a week with friends up at a cabin in Moosehead, Maine. I have to say, it was fabulous. We saw moose (even if it was from aboard slightly sinking and very old pontoon boat), I took my first spin on a jet ski (very unsuccessful I might add), and willingly jumped into a lake (I always avoid the fish, they’re creepy!). And to top it all off, our group of a dozen of us fit into a cabin that was more than enough room for us. What a find!!

Now that I’m back home, I figured out I need to cook for myself, not a slew of 12 people. So I opted for a “big” meal that was (shocker!) pasta based

Broccoli Sausage Pasta

1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green peppers, diced
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
olive oil
1/2 pound of ground Italian sweet sausage
1 tablespoon butter
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
&
1/2 box of linguine, cooked and drained

In a medium sauce pan, heat enough olive oil to slightly coat the pan. Add onions and pepper, cooking on medium-heat until onions are translucent or about 6 to 8 minutes. Add chopped broccoli and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Add sweet sausage and another tablespoon of olive oil and cook through and until browned. Once meat is browned, add the butter and then toss in the pasta. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes, or until butter is melted and pasta is thoroughly coated and has soaked up the sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

August 6, 2013 by Roni

Food, Sweet

Strawberry Raspberry Pudding Bites

WordPress, I hate you. This is the second time I’ve had to rewrite this post. One time, ok. Shame on me for messing something up. But two times? Two times? Come on WordPress. Geez.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s go.

The temperature is rising, and quickly I might add. I’ve been sticking to everything that I touch. So if any of you guys out there have a nice pool to loan me, I’d be happy to take you up on that offer and make sure it’s in working condition.

I’ve also started up on my diet again. Which I’m glad I did, but honestly, it just means that with all the ice cream stands opening up, I have to avoid them. So I came up with what I think will help. Or at least let me portion out my cravings into bite sized pieces.

Strawberry Raspberry Pudding Bites

Gather:
1 package of Jell-O Instant Pudding, Strawberry Creme, 3.4oz Box
1.5 cups of milk
8 to 10 raspberries, halved
Silicone Ice Cube Tray (the bites come out easier that way)

Mix pudding package and milk for 2 minutes. Let sit for another three, then fold in the raspberries. Fill ice cube molds with pudding mixture and then place molds into freezer. Let “bites” freeze for at least an hour, or until hard all the way through.

Pop out of the trays and place into ziplock bags. Place back in freezer until you’re ready to eat them. Yum!

June 25, 2013 by Roni

Food, Savory

Red Wine Pasta Lovin’

I was told the other night that Italians should be loud and cook lots of pasta. Apparently the stereotype is still out there and follows me around, especially when I’m at the bar and other Italians are around. Some people think it’s fun to see us talk at loud volumes to each other.

In light of this revelation, I decided to go into stereotype full swing and make pasta. Seriously, what is more Italian than pasta, right? Also, since I never eat pasta, it seemed appropriate to finally make some to add to my recipe box.

Red Wine Pasta

Need:
1/3 box of cooked pasta
1 chicken breast, halved
2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced
1/4 of a sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup of red wine
3 tablespoons of olive oil
cayenne pepper
garlic powder
black pepper

Heavily season chicken with garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper. Heat olive oil in medium-sized pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping halfway, until chicken is cooked through. Add diced onion and cook for five to seven minutes. Deglaze pan with red wine and cook on medium high heat. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are softened and wine has almost completely cooked down. Add cooked pasta and cook for another three minutes, mixing pasta into the dish. Take off heat and let sit for a few minutes so that pasta can absorb some of the sauce. Serve and enjoy.

June 17, 2013 by Roni

Food, Sweet

Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast

It’s been raining for days. Seriously, days. All this week we’ve seen clouds up leading up to what is expected to be a sunny weekend. If I lived closer to the beach, I’d be worried.

But instead of worrying, I’d much rather cook, be it breakfast for dinner. But really, who is going to ridicule me for having brinner (that’s code for breakfast for dinner) if I make French toast? Something I haven’t had in a really long time. Frankly, I’m not much for maple syrup, so I mostly steer clear from pancakes, waffles, and anything that might be covered in maple syrup. Shocker! I know. Being as I was raised in Vermont within smelling distance of the farms. I will eat it, just not in high volume.

So having some maple syrup on hand, a craving for bananas and peanut butter, and a kitchen that was calling for breakfast past 6 p.m., I made an executive decision. I was making stuffed French toast. Peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast to be exact.

After wrangling the pan down from our hanging rack, this is how it went down:

Gather (for a single serving):
1 tablespoon of butter
2 slices of whole wheat toast (not thick bread)
1 heaping tablespoon of creamy peanut butter
Half of a banana
1 egg
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Grade A Vermont maple syrup

Heat a medium-sized skillet on medium heat. Add butter. While butter is melting, beat egg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Dredge one side of a piece of bread with egg wash. Place bread egg wash side down in the pan. On the second piece of bread, spread peanut butter and top with slices of banana (1/4 inch to half inch slices work well). Place that piece of bread peanut butter-side down on top of the bread already in the pan, making a sandwich. Take the rest of the egg wash and evenly spread it over the top of the “sandwich.” It’s okay if the egg wash gets into the pan, you can cut off the cooked egg later.

Cook for about 4 minutes or until first side is toasted. Flip sandwich and press down on the sandwich with your flipper. This will keep the pieces together and help heat the center a bit. (I promise, this works.) Cook other side until golden brown, or for about another 3 minutes.

Remove from pan. Slice in half, drizzle on maple syrup, and enjoy!

If anyone makes it, let me know what you think of if you have other stuffed French toast ideas. I think I’m going to make this a regular thing. Bring on the brinner!

May 31, 2013 by Roni

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